EGYPT’S JUNTA and AMERICAN HYPOCRISY

20022014

Egypt is now fully, even more than before, a brutal police state run by the military

The Egyptian Junta Generals thinks they are on a roll. They seized power, gave a bunch of Mubarak-era cronies titles, changed the Constitution to further empower and enrich themselves, got the Saudis to give them billions, went to Moscow to to get more arms, and maybe most of all have further empowered the Murabak police, judges, and jailors. The Generals, who spent a generation lavishing in rewards but trying to stay behind-the-scenes, are now fully visible and making a show of it!

The Generals have as well created more fear and repression than was even the case during the brutal Mubarak years (remember now he too was a General, we just got use to seeing him in a suit). This reality is symbolized by not only imprisoning toppled President Morsi but putting him in a sound-proof cage so he can’t even be heard. And this reality is further symbolized today as many journalists are being put on trial for doing their job. Egypt is now fully, even more than before, a police state run by the military.

As for the Americans, further hypocrisy. A bit of criticism in public now and then, but behind the scenes no serious efforts to stop the Junta, which is itself composed, by the way, of Generals all trained, schooled, vetted, and co-opted by the Americans for a generation. As usual the Americans make a loud pretense about democracy and freedom but when it comes to Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, and Israel of course, the Americans in the Middle East (and beyond) are backers and supporters of some of the worst dictators and repressive military regimes.